Revolving book-case



Patented Apr. 7, 1891.

.w... S u RM m e AN (No Model.)

for my revolving cabinet.

UNITED STATES PATE T OFFICE.

HENRY CLAY ANDROSS, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

REVOLVING BOOK-GAS E.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 449,657, dated April 7, 1891.

Application filed March 18l 1889. Serial No. 303,798. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known thatI, HENRY CLAY ANDROSS, residing in the city of Rochester, county of Monroe, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Revolving Book- Oase, of which the following isa specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in revolving cases for books hereinafter particularly described; and the object of my invention is to provide a convenient and ornamental revolving case in compact form, which shall be easy and economical to manufacture and of great strength.

' Figure 1 shows a front elevation of my revolving case in perspective. Fig. 2 shows a cross-section of the suspension-bearing for my revolving case. Fig. 3 shows a plan view of the same. Fig. 4. shows a top view of my revolving case with a different arrangement of the cabinets. Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively sectional and plan views of the hinge Fig. 7 is a sectional view of a supporting device for my cabinet.

I am aware that revolving cases have been made quadrangular in form with shelves and pigeon-holes, and have been also made with cabinets.

sides opening by means of hinges, the whole case revolving upon a bearing which has usually been placed above the center of gravity of the case.

In the drawings,AAArepresentquadrangular compartments or cabinets which are ormay be made separately, and are fastened together by means of angle-irons b b, connecting the back corners of the cabinets. These, being fastened together, are placed upon the flanges c c c of the cup-bearing B, Figs. 2 and 8, said flanges being fastened to the bottoms of the cabinets-as, for instance, by screws passing through them into the lowest shelf or base of each cabinet. As will be seen, this leaves a hollow triangular space inclosed by the three The cabinets may be set inclined to the perpendicular, thus inclosing a truncated pyramidical space. In this hollow space may be placed stationary or adjustable shelves g g, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. l, which may be reached through the spaces above the shelves in the cabinets, or if one or more of the cabinets is hinged to swing out, as shown in Fig. 4, the shelf or shelves may be reached through the opening thus made. These central shelves may be placed rigidly or adjustably in such positions as to form stops to prevent books placed on the shelves of the cabinets from falling into the hollow space, as shown in said Fig.- 1. These cabinets may have stationary or adjustable shelves in them, or may have pigeon-holes, or may be used for Wardrobe or other suitable purposes.

The step B has a small cavity for oil or lubricating material in its upper end, as shown at d, Fig.2, from which a small duct d leads down to the point of contact with the pivot. Into the lower side of the step is drilled a long hole 6, Fig. 2, whose sides are parallel, except the bottom thereof, which is conical. Into this fits the pivot O, fitting closely and hav ing a conical end with a slightly-rounded point, as shown in Fig. 2. The length of this pivot and the closeness of its fit prevent ex cessive shake and make it unnecessary to have the point of suspension of the case above its center of gravity. This pivotis fastened into a base B, which may be placed upon casters.

The cabinets may be divided either longitudinally or transversely and hinged to open and swing out, as'shown in Fig. 4, or a whole cabinet may be hinged to swing out, as shown in the same figure. In this case the flanges c of the step B under the opening cabinet or the opening portion of the cabinet will not be fastened to the movable portion, but will remain as a support to the same while it is closed.

I use a special hinge D, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings' This hinge is made in two parts h and 'i on curves formed sub stantially as shown in the figures. One of the parts has aconical or hemispherical proj ection k on its end, through the axis of which projection a hole is bored. Upon this fits a cup Z, which is integral with the other part of the hinge, and whose interior is bored out or cast to fit the conical or hemispherical projecrion of the other hinge, and fromthe center of the cup there extends a pin m to fit the hole bored in the conical or hemispherical projection. The end of'the pin may be spread by hammering, so as to prevent its being withdrawn from the hole. Upon one half of this hinge is formed a lug or projection n upon the same surface as that from which the conical projection or the cup is formed, and on the other half of the hinge is'formed a lug or projection 0, such that when the hinge is opened wide the projection upon one half shall fit closely over and upon the -projection upon the other half. By this means, as indicated in Fig. l, when a portion of the cabinet is swung fully open one of the projections of the hinge will lap over the other, and thus form a support to prevent too great strain upon the hinge itself, and also to sustain, in some degree, the opened cabinet; One of these hinges is placed on the upper} surfaceof an opening part of my revolvingjj case and another one on the'lowerjsurfacej thereof. Other suitable hinges may be placed} along the line of revolution ofthe opening] cabinet. It will be seen that this hinge may, be manufactured by casting in two pieces; only, and no further process of manufacturef is necessary except to spread the end of the pin. Spreading the head of the'pin may'be; dispensed with in many cases, leaving thusa loose-joint hinge. 1.

In order to support the opening cabinets when closed, I use the device shown in Fig. 7 A metal strap 19 is fastened over a corner of. the triangular top of my revolving case,,as shown in Fig. 4:. This strap is fastened to the flat top of the case at one end and extends upward to the top of the triangle, over the; top, and partly down on the other side of the. triangle. j?

To the opening cabinet is fastened a mej' tallic projection q, as shown in Fig. 4, which, is formed of a flat portion to be screwed to the top of the cabinet at a point as far away from the hinge as maybe convenient, and from the fiat portion there arises a curved tongue, as shown in Fig. 7. W'hen the cabinet is closed, the device fastened uponthef cabinet itself meets and laps over the end of; the strap projecting over the triangle, and by reason of the curvature of the under surface of the part fastened to the cabinet tends tof sustain the weight ofthe swinging cabinet and to relieve the hinges. It also tends to prevent the triangular top, if made of wood, from warping or springing away from the cabinet. This device (suitably changed) is attached to the split cabinets shown in Fig. 4.

I cover the top of the hollow center of my cabinet with a triangular piece, as shown in Fig. 1.

This cabinet can be made of wood or metal, as convenient, and is peculiar in having no supporting frame-work separate from the usef ul parts. The cabinets, when fastened together, form the frame-work.

A book-case thus constructed is economical of material and easy to manufacture in quantity, as anynumberof separate cabinets maybe manufactured by themselves, and a suitable number thereof may be selected to make a book-case, then needing only to be fastened together with their backs to a common vertical axis and to be placed upon a pivotal supporting device.

I fasten at the side of each cabinet and close to the front hand-rods f f, Fig. 1, for convenience in revolving it.

I am aware of the patent to E. H. Watson for a columnar closet No. 400,614, and I disclaim as my invention the construction therein shown.

\Vhat I claim is- 1. A revolving book-case composed of a series of separate and independent cabinets touching each other only along their back edges and secured to each other only along such lines of contact, and a revoluble supporting device.

"2. A revolving book-case compose'dof a series of separate and independent quadran- 1 gular cabinets touching each other only along theirback edges and secured to each other only along such lines of contact and arranged radiallyabout a vertical axis, together with an axial revoluble supporting device.

A revolving book-case composed of aseries of separate and independent cabinets touching each other onlyalong theirback edges and secured to each other only along such lines of contact and arranged radially about a vertical axis, together with an axial revoluble supporting device.

4. In a revolving book-case, the combination of three or more quadrangular cabinets secured to each other at their back edges, in-

closing a space polygonal in horizontal crosssection, and stationary or adjustable shelves placed in and fitting the space inclosed bv the backs of said cabinets, with a base having a vertical axial pivot, for the purpose described.

5. In a revolving book-case, the combination of three or more quadrangular cabinets secured to each other at their back edges, inclosing a space polygonal in horizontal crosssectionand placed upon a vertical axial pivot, one or more of said cabinets being hinged to swing outwardfrom the axis of the case, for

the purpose described.

6.'In a revolving bookcase, the combination of three or more quadrangular cabinets secured to each other at their back edges, inclosing a' space polygonal in horizontal crosssection and placed upon a vertical axial pivot, portions of one or more of said cabinets being hinged to swing outward from the axis of the case, for the purposes described.

7. In a revolving book-case, the combination of three or more quadrangular cabinets secured to each other at their back edges, one or more of said cabinets having a stationary portion and a portion hinged to swing outward from the axis of the case, for the purposes described.

8. In a revolving book-case, the hinge D, in said cavity to fit the axial hole in the other composed of two parts h and 11, one part it part, for the purposes described. having the lug n and the conical projection k with an axial hole therein, the other part i HENRY CLAY ANDROSS 5 having the lug 0 adjusted to fit over the lug WVitnesses:

n on the other part, and the projectionl with C. D. KIEHEL, 1 a conical cavity therein and an axial pin 02 H. E. PATTERSON. 

